The Outer Limits (1963) s02e13 Episode Script

The Duplicate Man

( man) Since the first day man stared up at the stars and saw other worlds, there has been no more haunting question than this: What will we find there? Will there be other creatures and will they be like us? Or when that ancient dream comes true, will it turn into a nightmare? Will we find on some distant frozen planet an alien life of unimaginable horror? (tour guide) lf l may have your attention . This part of the tour is most interesting for student groups. We will enter the Cygnus lV division which contains no live animals. lnstead, there are models of the different life forms inhabiting our alien planets. They were brought to us 30 years ago in the early space exploratory days of the 1 980s and '90s. They found our planet a hostile environment and could not survive. And now welcome to the Cygnian world. First we have the lmwarf. The force of gravity on its world is 66 times greater than here. The lmwarf has the perfect structure for such pressure. On Earth it went to pieces. Here we have the Puudly. lt inhales methane gas through its pores and its life's fluid is in perpetual stasis. A Puudly cannot retain its shape here. Structural fatigue we call it in metallurgy. Our next visitor from other planets is the Megasoid. lt is the highest form of life discovered in space. The Megasoid, despite its physique, is farther along the evolution scale than man and has proved its superior intelligence. lt communicates and can learn earthly languages. However, it is a creature with one all-consuming impulse: to kill. For this reason the last living specimen was destroyed in the late 1 980s. Let us move to the next period of the Upper Octerium section . (growls) ( man) There is nothing wrong with your television set. Do not attempt to adjust the picture. We are controlling transmission . For the next hour, we will control all you see and hear. You are about to experience the awe and mystery which reaches from the inner mind to The Outer Limits. Murdoch? Murdoch! Yes, Mr James. - Did you open the cellar door? - l heard a strange and frightening sound. l told you l didn 't want you in there. - l just thought - You're not supposed to think. - You're supposed to obey my orders. - Yes, sir. -Now get back to the cottage. - Yes, sir. And, Murdoch - You heard and saw nothing. - Yes, sir. Hello? l'm trying to reach a Mr Jerichau . Mr Basil Jerichau . He used to be associated with you . Henderson - What, Laura? - About the dinner. - Have we got a dinner tonight? - At the Merivailes. You knew. lt slipped my mind. We may be delayed. Send my regrets. You can go - ( lady on phone) Hello? - Yes? My records show Basil Jerichau was discharged almost eight months ago. - l can give you the address. - Mm-hm. - His address is 417 Greenway Avenue. - Thank you . - Henderson , what's the matter? -Nothing to worry you . Who's Mr Jerichau? When you get upset like this, it must have something to do with that awful creature. lt's gone. And l have to try and find it and destroy it if l can . - A Megasoid? - l told you never to even say that word. My smuggling it to Earth is a capital offence. l know, it was a calculated risk for the scientific potential of being able to study that beast on my own . - But it's probably on a killer rampage. -No, it's entering the reproductive cycle. Oh, Henderson . lf it reproduces, our whole world is in danger. bo back as soo n as can. l don 't think you ought to leave the house. - What is it? - l'm Henderson James. l met you at a symposium on Cygnian psychology. Oh, yes. Mr James. The one with the brilliant work on universal communications. - What do you want, Mr James? - Can you get in the duplication centre? - What? - You worked there for many years. l helped to originate the duplication process. Why? - l need a duplicate. - You want to bootleg one? A respectable, outstanding scientific brain like you? Are you serious? That's a prime felony. Automatic life. How much do you need to give yourself a new start? You must want it awful bad. Do you know anything about duplicates? - How much? - 1 00,000 dollars. lt is my neck too. Whatever you have in mind, Mr James. All right. What is it? What's the job? l want him programmed to find and kill a Megasoid. - A Megasoid? - Mm-hm. - Here on Earth? - Yeah, and in its reproductive cycle. lt's got to be alone. There's just one place it can hide unnoticed. Good evening. My name is Henderson James. l know the general public are not encouraged to inquire into duplication but Not since tight federal regulations went into effect. What can l do for you? A few questions for my studies at universal communication . l'd be glad to help. How long? How long are duplicates permitted to live? Suppose one is created, say at seven o'clock? Midnight. Whether its mission has been completed or not. lt can be programmed to return sooner, but it must be destroyed within five hours. The reason , as l understand it, is the possibility of the duplicate becoming too aware of what he is. Reconstitution of memory. Contacts. Association . Stimuli. Every experience triggers more memories. And the more people he talks to the more aware he becomes. Exactly. ln time, the memory would be fully re-established as in the original. He becomes human and aware. Conditions then become chaotic. There have been several cases where it was not the duplicate who was destroyed. see Thank you . He is telepathic, has a lightning mind. A Megasoid has no compunction about killing. l must not let it talk to me. l must not talk to it. (tour guide) Hey, there. You can 't sleep in here like that. We're closing up. What were you saying? A Megasoid? - Do you know where it is? - On its own planet, l hope. There's a replica of one over there. - That's frightening enough. - Oh. - You been drinking? - l'm thirsty. Maybe we better call your home, have them come after you . What's your name, mister? My name? My name is Henderson James. - Where do you live, Mr James? - Summit Avenue. l'm Henderson James and l live on Summit Avenue. Uh-huh. And when did you get here? l don 't know. - l better call the police. -No, l haven 't been injured. See if you've been robbed. No billfold? Keys? Money? Nothing? l must have changed my clothes and forgotten to take my billfold and keys. lf you're closing up, l better go. - You sure you're all right? - Yes, thank you . That's what the gun is for. To kill the Megasoid. Don 't shoot. l won 't harm you . You've been waiting for me. With your telepathic powers you've been in contact with me. Not with you . With Henderson James. You're a shadow, a temporary Henderson James, created to do one job and then be done away with. - l'm flesh and blood. - A temporary. No existence, no memory. You're a duplicate. You sure you're going to be all right? Yes, thank you . You don 't have to bother yourself any more. (tinkling signal) Mr James. How nice to see Oh, hello. Why? They wanted to take me home, but l had them bring me here. They want to make sure you know me. - How nice to see you . Come on in . - l can 't come in . There's no time. l think you'd better until our friends go. Come on in . So good to see you , Mr James. l've got to make sure that l killed the Megasoid. l wounded it, l know. Good, they're gone. Now, what is it? - The Megasoid. - What are you talking about? Are you drunk? - The Megasoid - Forget it. Let's not talk about Megasoids. There aren 't any left. They haven 't been permitted since 1 986. lt would be possible to smuggle one in . For the right price, a space captain could bring one in , couldn 't he? That price was paid, Mr James, by you and and by me. Now, let's not have any more talk about these Megasoids, please. We both took a terrible risk. Are you cracking up? l've never seen you like this before. Am l different? Well, no, it's just that you talk rather strangely. lt's most important that we find out all we can about alien behaviourism. Alien communication . There's so much to learn from the higher forms of life. Megasoid is the most intelligent of all space creatures. Telepathic. A natural sixth sense. The ability to rationate. There's so much l know now and l can 't publish because it would reveal my having had my own Megasoid for the past two years. Would you mind telling me something? What is the matter with you? What is wrong with you? Wrong? What could be wrong? You find something unusual? No, no. lt's just that we've been over all of this years ago. What is it you want right now? l want to find - l'm trying to remember. - Remember what? This is asinine. l'm taking you home. l told the gardener never to go in the cottage cellar. - He left the door open . - Wait a minute. Are you telling me that thing escaped? Answer me. l found it in the space zoo. lt was hiding. l tried to kill it. l wounded it and it escaped. You must have laid it low or it would have killed half the city. Remember you promised to protect me, and you're not doing that by coming here. lf you got ideas about me killing that thing, you must be out of your mind. l wouldn 't tangle with that thing again . - lt's not thinking of killing now. - lt's always thinking of killing. lt's Unless it's in the reproductive stage. ls it? Yes. - lt has to be dead before daybreak. - Are you bereft of all your senses? You can 't treat a thing like this so lightly. - You've got to report it to the police. -No! You've no choice. lf it's bearing young, there will be hundreds of them in no time. Either you do it or l'm going to do it. Look, l'll tell them that we saw one of them. (thud) Did l forget my home number before or am l remembering it as a duplicate would accumulate memory? ( Laura) Hello? Hello? Hello, Laura. Where are you? Did you take care of it? Yes. Yes, l think so. What do you mean , you think so? When are you coming home? - Henderson ! - Yes, princess. l'll be home as soon as l can . - Did you say ''princess''? - Who is it? Just a minute. Who is this? This is Henderson James. Whoever it was hung up. - lt was Henderson James. - What? - That's what he said. - A fraud. He called me princess. You haven 't called me that in years. l l had to have a duplicate made. How could you? They wouldn 't give you a permit. Not for this. l bootlegged one just for the purpose of killing a Megasoid. He must have done it. He didn 't say he'd killed it, only he thought he had. Then why did he call here? Maybe Maybe he found out he's a duplicate. Maybe maybe he doesn 't want to die. What right did you have to take creation in your own hands? What a mess you've gotten yourself into. Thanks for the sympathy, my loyal wife. Oh, Henderson - Do you know who he sounded like? -No. Tell me. Like you , many years ago. (door is closed) (growls) (growls) - Well. - l want to see you . Surely. Come in . Have you come to apologise or merely to tell me you finished off the Megasoid? How did you know it escaped? - You yourself told me a little earlier. - Oh, yeah. Yeah, l forgot. l - l was so upset. - You were out of your mind. You didn 't know if you'd killed it. And then there was that bit about me smuggling it in for you . Like l said, l'm sorry. Everything's all right now that the Megasoid is dead. Then you did go back and kill it, eh? But you can 't be sure. You didn 't kill it. lt probably is dead or we'd have heard something. Who else would have done it? Yes. That is the question l've been asking myself. Who else indeed? Who was that other man that was here a little while ago? Where is your other self? Where is your duplicate? l didn 't hear you come in . Hello, princess. You know l think l like your hair better the other way. - How was that? - Long and casual. l haven 't worn it that way in five years. lt was a nice time in our marriage. Before ambition consumed you . l'm thinking about how it was before when we first came to this house. My excitement, knowing you were going to have all the things l dreamed for you . Are you going to be working now? A few details to clean up. lt will be all right? lt is all right. All right. All right. - How did you suspect? - Hm. l know you pretty well after all these years. You like a good life, but you don 't have an awful lot of courage. Not nearly enough to take on a Megasoid. Tell me, how did you swing that duplication permit? The usual way, l presume? - l knew a scientist at the centre. - Ah. Well, he won 't have to worry about his future. When it comes to bribes, you were never cheap. And, of course, l could be trusted with a secret too. You're in no position for blackmail. lllegal Megasoids or illegal duplicates, what's the difference? l don 't know about that. l'm entitled to something for this crack in the head. But who do l collect it from? You or your duplicate? Or is he already destroyed? No , a nd it won't ce easy He's talked to my wife, you , and l don 't know who else. He's probably filled in a great deal of information about me already. And if somebody told him he's a duplicate Ah, yes, he may want to destroy you instead, eh? He's programmed to return to my home at midnight. Oh. That's 45 minutes from now. You want somebody to do that job for you too? That's the real reason why you came here tonight, isn 't it? l can 't do it. lt would be like killing a twin brother. Yes, l imagine it would. You do remember the price you paid me for the Megasoid job, l hope. Yeah. Yes, l remember. What else can l do? Wait at the cottage. You can see the gate from there. l'll go on up to the house. (growls) (door opens and closes) You're here, aren 't you? What are you waiting for? Why don 't you shoot? l don 't know. lt would have been easier than shooting the Megasoid. - May l turn around? - Of course. - lf you held it, would you shoot me? - l'd have to. l suppose that sounds cruel. The cruelty was giving me the privilege of knowing life. You're a duplicate. You were created for the purpose of killing a Megasoid. - Did you? - l don 't know. Then you failed in your purpose. You have no place here. You should have made sure l didn 't accumulate your memories. You should have made it quick and painless. l couldn 't govern that. A man has to be responsible for what he does. You can 't kill me. No. l came because you had me programmed to return . And because my mind had started to become crowded with your life and memories. Those that l've seen have great promise. Well, l'm sorry for that. - Why must l die? -Not die. You'll go back to nothingness. Must l? Now l know what living is, why can 't l have the same rights as other humans? - The same dreams. - You poor fool, you still don 't see, do you? You'd catch up, be just like l am now. You think you'd find that attractive? Would l despise myself then ? You didn 't answer me. Would l despise myself when l accumulate all your memories? Don 't try and find the answer. Could it be worse than nothingness? (footsteps) l almost guessed. lt simply wasn 't possible for one man to have two personalities. Or l should say for two men to have one personality. - Even that isn 't quite right, is it? - (both) Laura. Am l supposed to guess which one is the duplicate? We're identical. But l haven 't reached his mental development or age. lt isn 't so much that l'm a duplicate as a ghost. A ghost of his past. Perhaps you'd prefer that past. Strange. One of you is the man l married. And the other the man l love. And you should both be one. Either way, all you've got to look forward to is me. l don 't have to follow the pattern you set now that you know your mistakes. lf you can change the future ..l can change the past. lf that were possible, Laura wouldn 't have to choose between the man she married and the man she loves. (bleeping) - Yes? - There's a thing out on the ground. Someone is lying there in the bushes. Emmet. Captain Emmet. What's he doing here? You don 't have to tell me. l know. He was supposed to transfer me to nothingness. Your memory's accumulating rapidly. You've almost caught up to me. (growling) (screams) l better go make sure that it's dead. To accomplish my purpose. How could you let him go out there alone? That's his only purpose for staying alive. ls that the truth, Henderson ? Or this your way of having him destroyed? You said if he could change the future, why couldn 't you change the past? lt's not a very good start. Henderson (door opens and closes) (footsteps) (growling) (tinkling signal) - Hello? - ( man) l want to speak to Mr James. - Henderson James. - Who is this, please? - Mrs James? - Yes. Just give him a message. Tell him if he hasn 't had a visitor yet, there's nothing to worry about. - The duplicate? - He told you? - What about the duplicate? - Tell him l have taken care of him l took extra precautions. l put controlled poison in the bloodstream. - Poison ? - That's right. lt's set for five hours. He'll be dead at midnight. Mrs James (clock ticking) (growling) (door opens and closes) Dead. Both dead. The Megasoid and the other one. lt's really all over now, Laura. ls it too late? ls it, princess? Who are you? l don 't even know which one you are. They were both me. And we both loved you . A man phoned. He left a message. He took a special precaution . He put a slow ..poison in the duplicate's bloodstream. ln five hours (clock chiming) Oh, Henderson ! All the while he was coming to life, he was dying and not knowing it. l love you , princess. ( man) ln all the universe, can there be creatures more strange than the species called man ? He creates and destroys. He fumbles and makes mistakes. But the thing which distinguishes him is his ability to learn from his mistakes. We now return control of your television set to you . Until next week at this same time when the control voice will take you to ..The Outer Limits.